Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Pickups Dodge Dakota Dodge Dakota Braking Issues
86 messages, Last post on Jul 21, 2008 at 11:16 AM
You are in the Dodge Dakota Forum. Your Host is kcram
|
This morning it was 4 degrees, F, and I drove my 1990 Dakota around the block. At a stop sign, I put on the parking brake. When the way was clear, I pulled the brake release handle and it flew off in my hand and landed on the seatback. Luckily the brake had released. I rang our local Dodge dealer and learned a new plastic handle costs $25! I could have gone to one of the local auto junk yards, but its just too cold to struggle out in some frosty back lot trying to get the handle off a junked Dakota and anyway the handle I would get might already be brittle and ready to fail. So I bit the bullet and told the dealer to get one for me. I suppose the lesson to be learned here is to be careful not to jerk the handle when releasing the brake, especially in cold weather. Can anyone tell me how big a job it is to replace the handle? |
|
|
I recently had to avoid an accident by slamming on my brakes and swerving off the road. About an hour after that, my ABS light came on and I can't get it to go away. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the brakes. I have a 97 5.2L Dakota and I know that there are 3 ABS sensors on it, two up front and one in the rear. Is there a way to tell which one is bad... if any? Any other solutions? Thanks
|
|
the truck operates fine for about 10-15 miles then when i reach 55-60mph the truck is fighting itself to move. the pedal gets extremely firm and the truck vibrates excessively when braking. the driver side caliper seized completely up about three weeks ago, so i replaced the master cylinder (twice), the driver side caliper and brake hoses on both sides. the problem keeps returning. the above parts have been replaced about a week apart from each other. should have i replaced both calipers??? 
|
|
|
Replying to: slimm1 (Dec 18, 2007 8:37 pm) |
|
i am doing a front end break job on my 2002 dodge dakota. i have depresssed the piston with a c clamp. my repair manual sas that i need to remove the mounting pins. i have located two monuting pins, but how do i remove them. they look like they have a rubber dust boot covering them. do i need to remove that too?
|
|
|
Replying to: toneman (Jan 05, 2008 11:44 am) It is often best to pull the pins back just a bit (perhaps 1/2 inch) instead of removing them completely. This protects from dirt gettting into the sliding surfaces. The pins slide inside those rubber boots as the pads wear down to keep the caliper centered on the rotor. This is known as a "fully floating" caliper design because the caliper is said to hover or "float" the pads over the surface of the rotor. BTW: How the heck did you compress the piston BEFORE losening the pins and removing the caliper???? The usual process for Dakota brakes is; 1) Losen guidepins and pull them back a tad. 2) Work caliper off of rotor (including pads) 3) Remove pads from rotor 4) Install used pad backward and use C-clamp against it to compress piston. (WATCH TANK FOR OVERFLOW!!) 5) File smooth the surfaces which the pads slide against. 6) Apply hi-temp lube to same surfaces. (quality pads come with lube and stainless-steel sliders) 7) Install new pads into caliper. 8) Slide caliper over rotor. 9)make certain guidepins are NOT cross-threaded. 10) USE TORQUE-WRENCH to finalize toque on guidepins. NOTE: Some folks prefer to only loosen ONE of the guidepins and then rotate the caliper off the rotor using the other guidepin as a pivot-point. |
|
|
Hi, My 98 dakota 4wd 3.9 is giving me a hard time. Most of my driving is short distance around town. Occasionally (especially if I've been on a longer trip than usual), as I come to a stop, one of the fronts will just grab and lock up. I've replaced both calipers and the pads, but not the rotors (they don't produce the pulsation I'd normally associate with warped/distorted discs). There are times when I do feel pulsation as I come to a stop, but I can't understand how with warped rotors this wouldn't be present all the time. Regarding the slide surfaces, I figured with fresh calipers I should be good, although if I remember correctly, one of the slide surfaces is on the knuckle/spindle assembly, not the caliper itself. I didn't file down these surfaces (yet). Does it sound to you guys like uneven slide surfaces could be my problem? There have been times when they were grabby just after I got off the interstate when I wanted to blame the power booster (a high vacuum state?)... Hoping Bpeebles or Dustyk can help me out with this one, before I pull my hair out! Thanks in advance! James
|
|
|
Replying to: latonick (Jan 28, 2008 5:46 am) As for the calipers locking up, are they both locking ? if so, I would be looking at the brake master cylinder as the cause of this problem. On my 2002 quad cab both fronts would lock and then release after about 15 minutes. I went to the dealer for answers since I had never encountered that in 30 years of driving. The mechanic said it was the brake hoses. against my better judgement with my 26 years as an aviation mechanic I fell for it ( I can see one side failing with a callapsed hose but not both at the same time with separate hoses) but that was not the problem. I ended up replacing the master cylinder which had caused both calipers to fail and fry. I also replaced the rotors that were warped with by .010 " and I could feel it in the steering wheel everytime I would hit the brakes. A problem with the booster would probably make the brake pedal feel quite hard. Good luck and keep us posted of the progress. Robert
|
|
|
Replying to: latonick (Jan 28, 2008 5:46 am) I assume you have already done the "feel test" to see if he lugnuts are hot to the touch after driving on the highway for awhile. (lugnuts SHOULD be almost ambient temp.... never more than slightly warm)
|
|
|
Replying to: cubansky (Jan 28, 2008 4:40 pm) Thanks for your reply. Both sides will lock up, but not at the same time. I've thought about replacing the brake hoses, but can't wrap my head around how worn hoses could create increased hydraulic pressure... Sounds like your master cylinder got to a point where it just wouldn't release? My fronts will release ok, just grabby as heck (but not all the time). I may pull the wheels off in the next couple days and give some close inspection to those sliding surfaces. Maybe I'll even grab some fresh rotors, I'm running out of parts to replace (ones that make sense, anyway). Thanks for your help, and I'll post back whatever I find. James |
|
You are here:
Forums
Pickups Dodge Dakota Dodge Dakota Braking Issues
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2008 Dodge Dakota
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
